Contemporary portrayals of the "Moro" in folk dramatizations in Spain, Central America, and the Philippines

College

College of Liberal Arts

Document Type

Archival Material/Manuscript

Abstract

This paper deals with folkloric performances premised on battles between Christians and Moors found in the various parts of the world. Their theme of Christian victory and conversion of Muslims is seen by some as offensive especially so in the port 9/11 era, when tensions between Christians and Muslims are high. Given the current political climate, it is worth investigating how Moros are being portrayed in contemporary performances. This paper draws attention to counter-currents in the way “Moro” is perceived and portrayed in Spain, Central America and the Philippines. The re-working of plot has allowed for surprising characterizations of the “Moro” role. Through strategies such as inversion, substitution, deletion, and indigenization, the term “Moro” has acquired complex new meanings as performances evolve to suit contemporary conditions. This study surveys some patterns in the evolution of performances which result in significant departures from standard portrayals of the Moro as villain and vanquished.

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Keywords

Muslims in popular culture; Folk drama; Moros y Cristianos Festival; Muslims—Attitudes

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